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City to issue RFP for billing and meter-audit; committee seeks cross-agency review and smart-meter data
Summary
Kalamazoo City staff said an RFP for a comprehensive billing and meter audit will be issued within 30–60 days to review account linking, meter-to-service-line mapping, and billing workflows; the audit will inform integration of upcoming smart meters and a planned Richland Township pilot.
City staff told the Utility Policy Committee the city is preparing a request for proposals for a water and wastewater billing and meter audit to examine account accuracy, meter-service-line linkage, categorization of system customers, and billing workflows.
James Baker described the audit as distinct from a rate study: it will be a detailed operational review of billing practices, meter accuracy, account classifications (residential, commercial, institutional, irrigation, and flat-rate sewer-only customers), and meter-to-service matching for roughly 46,000 accounts. Staff said internal reviews have already found instances where a single service line is associated with multiple meters and where some meters are not correctly tied to sewer accounts.
Baker said the city will issue an RFP in roughly 30–60 days and intends to build a team including peer reviewers and technical experts (named firms discussed included Primer Neuhoff, Stantec and Foster Group). The audit will also seek to use GIS to identify where in-ground water and sewer infrastructure exists but no billed customer is recorded. Staff noted the forthcoming Richland Township sewer/water work and smart-meter deployments would provide a test bed for validating meter and billing accuracy.
Committee members suggested coordinating with townships that maintain up-to-date connection records (Texas Township and Oshtemo were cited) to improve account lists and speed the field validation work.
Ending: Staff will post the RFP and report back on bidder selection and initial audit scope when proposals are received.
